Safeguarding Assistant

Role Responsibility

Every adult in Kent deserves to live their lives free from abuse or neglect. We are looking for people who can work in partnership with adults who have care and support needs to protect themselves from abuse. Kent County Council as an organisation is looking for someone who can deliver excellence in collaborative approaches to making safeguarding personal and proportionate so that adults are empowered to exercise choice and control when others seek to exploit or neglect them.

We are looking for a person who will:

- Ensure that the adult is fully involved in safeguarding enquiries about them.

- Make the principle of proportionality the watch word for safeguarding adults practice keeping their best interest at the heart of decision making

- Work effectively with other professionals to investigate concerns and promote the protective needs of adults

- Make themselves accountable to the adult and others in safeguarding them from abuse

- Promote the health and well-being of adults to prevent abuse and neglect.

Adults who are at the greatest risk of the greatest harms demand the best social work practice that can be delivered, if you can do this then we want to hear from you.

The two Area Adult Safeguarding Teams and The Central Referral Unit is part of a countywide dedicated safeguarding service for Older People and People with Physical Disabilities working in partnership with other agencies including Police, NHS and Social Care to conduct safeguarding enquiries.  The working environment of this dedicated service offers the opportunity to concentrate staff energies on delivering the best safeguarding practice possible without distraction from other Adult Social Care duties.

There are currently 3 posts – 1 in the East Kent Team, 1 in the West Kent Team and 1 in the Central Referral Unit.

You will be expected to work in support of registered social workers in undertaking initial enquiries to ensure that any risk of abuse to an adult is assessed and responded to in a timely manner. This requires an ability to work under pressure with competence and pace to contribute to making critical decisions for the protection of others.

You will need to have experience of working with adults, a working knowledge of the Local Authorities duties to undertake safeguarding enquiries, experience of inter-disciplinary working; excellent interpersonal skills and a firm commitment to personal and organisational development.  

Kent County Council value their staff and as part of our commitment to you we ensure all staff receive:

- A comprehensive induction.

- Regular supervision and a personal action plan to support your career development

- An annual appraisal.

- Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities to support you in your role.

If you feel you have the qualities, it takes to make a difference every day in protecting adults from abuse or neglect please make your application.

We would positively welcome applicants contacting Janette Janes Team Manager East on 03000 413266 or e-mail janette.janes@kent.gov.uk, Anna Ramsay Team Manager West on 03000 411552 or e-mail anna.ramsay@kent.gov.uk, or Dr J Aylett, Countywide Service Manager on 03000 415652 or e-mail jay.aylett@kent.gov.uk to have an informal discussion and gain a greater understanding of the role and remit of CRU.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Office Location:

Central Referral Unit Kroner House Ashford

OPPD (West Kent) Joynes House Gravesend

OPPD (East Kent) Brook House Whitstable

Contact Details

Janette Janes Team Manager East on 03000 413266 or e-mail janette.janes@kent.gov.uk

Anna Ramsay Team Manager West on 03000 411552 or e-mail anna.ramsay@kent.gov.uk

Dr J Aylett, Countywide Service Manager on 03000 415652 or e-mail jay.aylett@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.